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Climate change in Colorado encompasses the effects ofclimate change, attributed to man-made increases in atmosphericgreenhouse gases, in the U.S. state ofColorado.
In 2019The Denver Post reported that "[i]ndividuals living in southeastern Colorado are more vulnerable to potential health effects from climate change than residents in other parts of the state".[1] TheUnited States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has more broadly reported:
"Colorado's climate is changing. Most of the state has warmed one or two degrees (F) in the last century. Throughout thewestern United States,heat waves are becoming more common,snow is melting earlier in spring, and less water flows through the Colorado River.[2][3] Rising temperatures[4] and recent droughts[5] in the region have killed many trees by drying out soils, increasing the risk of forest fires, or enabling outbreaks of forest insects. In the coming decades, the changing climate is likely to decrease water availability and agricultural yields in Colorado, and further increase the risk ofwildfires".[6]
A study by Amato Evan, professor ofclimate sciences at theScripps Institution of Oceanography found that the winter season in theWestern United States is getting shorter and spring is starting earlier, greatly reducing the window of time in which snow is able to fall.[7][8][9] TheEnvironmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates thatsnowpack across Colorado has diminished by 20-60% since the 1950s. This allows trees to grow higher than they would otherwise, which is linked tohabitat fragmentation.[6]
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According to the EPA "Throughout the West, much of the water needed for agriculture, public supplies, and other uses comes from mountain snowpack, which melts in spring and summer and runs off into rivers and fills reservoirs. Over the past 50 years, snow has been melting earlier in the year, and more late-winter precipitation has been falling as rain instead of snow. Thus, water drains from the mountains earlier in the year. In many cases, dams capture the meltwater and retain it for use later in the year. But upstream of these dams, less water is available during droughts for ecosystems, fish, water-based recreation, and landowners who draw water directly from a flowing river".[6]
According to the EPA "Rising temperatures also increase the rate at which water evaporates (or transpires) into the air from soils and plants. Unless rainfall increases to the same extent as evaporation, soils become drier. As a result, the soil retains more water when it rains, and thus less water runs off into rivers, streams, and reservoirs. During the last few decades, soils have become drier in most of the state, especially during summer. In the decades to come, rainfall during summer is more likely to decrease than increase in Colorado, and periods without rain are likely to become longer. All of these factors would tend to make droughts more severe in the future".[6]
In particular, climate change has reduced the annual flow ofColorado River in the 21st century by almost 20 percent compared to the 20th. The decline has been linked to a reduction in the mountain snowpack through evaporation. Such a change is significant because the river supports 40 million people's water consumption throughout the West and $1 trillion in economic activity.[10]
Colorado'sagricultural sector "accounts for 9% of Colorado’s greenhouse gas emissions, or approximately 11.4 million metric tons of CO2."[11]
Implementingregenerative agricultural practices in the state has the potential to remove 23.15 billion tons of CO2 from the atmosphere by 2050. Use ofcover crops is increasing. A collaboration between Boulder County Parks and Open Space andColorado State University is working to develop techniques to improvesoil health andcarbon sequestration. State level support forsoil health is under discussion.[11]
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Climate change is expected toaffect human health as changing environmental conditions promote thespread of infectious diseases. Models to predict future mosquito distribution indicate longer breeding seasons, which in turn, result in an increase in the abundance of mosquitoes with likely climate scenarios.[12] Vector-borne diseases such as theWest Nile Virus (WNV) are influenced by changes in weather conditions such as temperature, precipitation, and humidity, which create ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes.[13] Shifting hydrologic conditions can alter the incidence of vector-borne disease as an increase also affects the number of WNV cases seen. Increased precipitation and land wetness can affect the transmission ofmosquito-borne diseases similar to WNV. Shifting hydrologic conditions can alter the incidence of vector-borne disease as increased precipitation and land wetness can affect the transmission of mosquito-borne diseases[14] As researchers have come to realize, biological systems are sensitive to small changes in seasonal temperatures, including the spread of infectious disease.[15] Although changes in climate and weather patterns have the ability to contribute to more frequent outbreaks of WNV, local environmental conditions also play a role.[15]
WNV is an infectious disease that is spread primarily by mosquitoes. WNV is concerning as it has the capability to cause inflammation in the brain and body tissues. Most individuals do not suffer from extreme symptoms, but mild symptoms include skin rashes, body aches, fevers, and headaches making it difficult to differentiate between a cold or allergic reaction when evaluating one's symptoms. Severe cases of WNV are neuroinvasive, causing symptoms such as encephalitis and meningitis.[16] From 1999 to 2018, Colorado had the fourth-highest incidence of neuroinvasive WNV in the United States.[17]
Cases of WNV have been reported in Colorado every year since 2002.[18] The 5-year historical average of WNV cases in Colorado indicates that most cases appear in late summer months, primarily August and September.[19] Currently, there is no vaccine for WNV, and hospitalization is often required for patients experiencing symptoms.[20] People often outdoors where mosquitoes are present should take precaution by wearing protective clothing and mosquito spray.
In December 2019, the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission strengthened inspection requirements foroil and gas production facilities and for pipelines in order to reducegreenhouse gas emissions.[21]
